@Landsteiner posted:Haven't heard anything. If anyone here would know, Bob Bubeck might. He's about as well connected in S gauge as anyone. Why not message him?
Well, the logical place for the Showcase Line tooling to go is Lionel, which is currently the largest importer of S gauge equipment under the American Flyer banner and has a significant contract manufacturing presence in China. For the good of the S hobby, that might be the most hoped for resolution/solution. However, as to whether or not the logical path is being taken and for what sum of money, I have no hard knowledge at all. American Models is a theoretical possibility, but I do not perceive Ron B. as having the capital or (having gone through a considerable effort to disengage from China) the desire.
My second (distant) candidate is Atlas, who brings to the table a very similar sensibility to that of the Showcase Line and model railroading. In fact, a number of the modeled prototypes are directly mirrored in the Atlas O and Showcase S lines. Atlas imports scale detailed 0 and H0, so they are already in the 'scale' model railroading business with trains made in China. Controlling the existing SHS/MTH locomotives with DCC is no-brainer. The questions would be of commercial attention (they appear to have their hands full with O) and the desirability of acquiring another line of trains in another gauge/scale with a limited market size.
Take this for the speculation it truly is. 
Bob
